This invention relates to a vehicular inflatable airbag assembly, and more particularly to an H-rib fastening assembly for mounting an airbag cover door over an airbag assembly installed in an instrument panel of a vehicle.
Most passenger vehicles employ inflatable restraints in the form of airbags for the vehicle driver and many are equipped with airbags for the front seat passenger. The passenger airbag assembly includes an inflator and reaction canister located in a recess in the vehicle instrument panel with the airbag deploying through an opening in the instrument panel. The opening is normally provided with a cover door which is designed to open on the deployment of the airbag. The door may be a separate rectangular shape that is flushly mounted in a rectangular opening so that it can be opened and completely removed by the deploying airbag. Such a door is usually attached to the instrument panel by a hinge or by a tether to cause the door to swing open and out of the path of the deploying airbag. Of necessity, the door must be releasably installed in the instrument panel opening so that it completely separates and moves out of the way of the airbag but at the same time must remain attached to the instrument panel so that it does not become a hazard for the occupant when the airbag opens. Accordingly, the opening door must remain attached in some way to the instrument panel and yet at the same time stay out of contact with the opening airbag so that the airbag will not snag and will fully inflate. Thus, it is also important that the fastening means for holding the door in the instrument panel do not become detached during the deployment of the airbag and remain in the instrument panel in a manner such that the fastening means do not interfere with the inflation of the airbag.
It would also be desirable to be able to gain access to the airbag assembly for servicing purposes even when the airbag is not in the process of inflation.